Vending machine



R. ,E. ELvERs' VENDING MACHINE -Filed April 2. 1940 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fl' 1NVENTOk. I

ATTORNEY- Patented Nov. 18, 194 1 UNITED stares parent W VENDINGMACHINE Roy E. Elvers, Los Angeles, Calif. I

Application April 2, 1940, Serial No. 327,442

6 Claims. v (01. 312-70) My invention relates generally to vending machines and more particularly to the means for supporting the vended articles or commodities within the machine and for eiiecting discharge of said articles or commodities from the supporting means and also for the handling and storage of the article or product supporting means after each vending operation.

The principal objects of my invention are, to

- generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existing forms of Vending machines, particularly the article or product supporting and delivery means thereof, further, to provide a vending machine that is devoid of all endless carriers and the chains, cables and gearing associated therewith and further, to provide a vending machine wherein the vended article or product supporting means comprises a plurality of sets of rods or a series of separate racks.

Further objects of my invention are, to provide simple and efficient means for efiecting the sequential release of the sets of rods or racks that "carry the vended articles or products and further, :to provide a machine having a chamber in its lower portion that receives the rods or racks 1 utilized in supporting the vended articles after the'latter discharge from the supporting means.

A further object of myinvention is, to provide a vending machine that may be utilized for supporting in a chamber or compartment having aglazed front,re1atively thin articles or objects to be vended, for instance, newspapers, thin magazines or pamphlets, and the same article supporting means capable of being dil ferently arranged so as to support comparatively thick objects, such.

construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described andclaimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view looking against the front of a structure that is equipped with a vending machine of my improved construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2. Y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail horizontal section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4a is a perspective view of one of the rails that provide supports for the merchandise carrying rods;

Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4..

Fig. 6 is an elevational view with parts broken away and looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 6 in Fig. 4. I

Fig. '7 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 6 and showing the supporting rod releasing bar in shifted position. I

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 83 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section similar'to Fig. 2 and showing a modified form of the vending machine.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section taken on the line l0l0 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line H-H of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a plan View of the parts seen in Fig. 11. i

Fig. 13 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 11 and showing the vended article supporting rods in shifted positions. l

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the parts seen in Fig. .13.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a rack utilized for supporting vended articles in the modified form of the machine illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10.

. Fig. 16 is a detail section of a modified construction utilized for holding the goods supporting rods in predetermined spaced relation.

Fig. 17 is a horizontal section taken on the line Ill-41 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a sectional view showing a modified arrangement for supporting the rods that provide supports for the vended articles.

Fig. 19 is asectional view of a modified construction including an inclined. bottom for the machine and which receives the vended articles as they d1scharge from the supporting means.

Referring by numerals to. the accompanying drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, [0-40 designate the side Walls of a housing, II a top panel, I2 a bottom panel, and I3 a rear wall. The upperportion of the rear wall I3 is provided with an opening that is normally closed by a door 14 in order to give access to the chamber within the housing or cabinet.

It is to be understood that the Vending machine contemplated by my invention may be in the form of a housing or cabinet, capable of being readily moved from one position to another or where the machine is installed in retail markets, a number of the machines may be built into the walls or partitions of the market buildi The front of the housing or cabinet is closed by a readily removable glazed panel I 5 which should be equipped with suitable means to enable it to be locked to the housing and the lower end of the panel I5 is spaced a short distance above a horizontally disposed partition l6 that is located in the lower portion of the cabinet a short distance above the bottom I2.

Such construction provides below the glazed panel IS an opening I! through which the vended goods may be readily removed by the purchaser and the space below the partition I6 provides a storage chamber I8 for the vended article supporting rods after the same are released from their positions beneath the supported articles.

Formed in the partition I6 is a series of transversely disposed slots I3 which permits the suptop H and above the partition -I6, said blocks being disposed in horizontal rows and secured to said blocks are the ends of vertically disposed straps 22, preferably of thin wood or metal, and

the members of each set of these straps are spaced apart throughout their lengths to form vertically disposed slots '23 for the reception of the ends of the rods that support the articles to be vended and which slots are open at both ends.

Where rods are utilized for supporting the vended articles, said rods which are designated by the numeral 24 are formed of heavy wire and integrally secured to the ends thereof are substantially cylindrical heads 25.

Arranged for longitudinal sliding movement, preferably between the right hand one of the Walls II and the straps 22 supported thereby, is a horizontally disposed actuator rod 26 with the forward portion of which is associated an expansive coil spring'2'I that yieldingly resists the out- -movement in both directions. The forward end of the rod in front of housing 28 carries a small handle 29. Under normal conditions the rod 26 .is held at its rearward limit of movement by spring 21 and upon the insertion of a coin of proper value into the housing 28, the rod locking means is released so that said rod may be pulled forwardly a sufficient distance to effect release of the lowermost set of article supporting rods 24.

The rear end of the rod 26 is pivotally connected toone end of a horizontally disposed lever 30 that is 'fulcrumed at its center to a bracket 3| thatis secured to the rear wall I3 of the cabinet.

.Pivotally connected to the end portions of lever 30 are the rear ends of horizontally disposed rails designated generally by the numeral 32 and which are mounted for longitudinal sliding movement upon suitable ledges that are secured to the inner faces of the side walls I0. These rails provide supports for the ends of the lowermost set of article supporting rods 24 and said rails being constructed so as to release said lowermost set of article supporting rods, when the actuator rod 26 is pulled forwardly.

Inasmuch as the rails 32 are connected to lever 30 so that when the latter is swung upon its axis, said rails move in opposite directions, these rails must be made in rights and lefts in order to function properly and permit the release of the lowermost set of article supporting rods.

Each rail 32 comprises a horizontally disposed intermediate portion 33, from the outer edge of which depends a vertically disposed flange 34 and projecting upwardly from the inner edge of the intermediate portion 33 is an upstanding longitudinally disposed flange 35.

Formed in the vertical flange 35 and spaced apart longitudinally thereof are openings 36, there being the same number of these openings as there are slots 23 between the straps 22.

The metal in flange 35 above the rear portions of the openings 36 on the right hand one of the rails 32 and the metal above the forward portions of the openings 36 on the left hand one of the rails 32 are cut away to form short slots or openings 31 and those portions of the metal in flange 35 above the openings 36 in front of the slots 31 in the right hand rail 32 and to the rear of the slots in the left hand one of the rails, provide horizontally disposed fingers 38 upon which the end portions of the merchandise supporting rods 24 normally rest. v

Formed in the horizontal portion 33 of each rail 32 and extending later-ally from the end of opening 36 beneath the finger 38 is a transversely disposed slot 39 that communicates with an opening 40 that is formed in member 33. The width of slots 39 is slightly greater than the diameter of the rods 24 and the openings 40 are of sumcient size to permit the downward passage therethrough of the heads 25 that are carried on the ends of the merchandise supporting rods.

In Figs. 4a and 5 I have illustrated portions of the rod supporting rails that are positioned on the right hand one of the walls of the cabinet and Figs. 6 and '7 illustrate portions of the rails that are located on the left hand side wall of the cabinet.

Under normal conditions or with the machine serviced and ready for operation, the spring 21 associated with pull rod 26 maintains the rod supporting rails 32 in position so that the end portions of said rods rest on the fingers 38 and said fingers 38 and the slots 39 and openings 40 being disposed in transverse alignment with the slots 23 between the straps 22.

To service the machine, a plurality of rods are dropped downwardly through the slots 23 with the heads on the ends of said rods disposed behind the straps 22 and these rods come to rest with their end portions resting on the fingers 38 of the rails 32. A package of merchandise is now placed on the lowermost set of rods as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 and a second set of rods is now introduced and permitted to move downwardly through the slots 23 until said rods rest on top of the article of merchandise resting on the first set of rods. A second article of merchandise is now placed on top of the second set of rods and this packing arrangement is continued until the last article of merchandise introduced occupies a position in the top of the chamber within the mally holds pull rod 26 against movement and after the coin has been inserted, the handle 29 is engaged and rod 26 pulled forward-to its limit of movement, thereby compressing and storing power in spring 21.

This forward movement of rod 26 moves the adjacent right hand one of the rails 32 forwardly and lever 30 swinging on its fulcrum 3| moves the left hand one of the rails 32 rearwardly.

As this simultaneous movement of the rod supporting rails takes place, the fingers 38 supporting the lowermost set of merchandise carrying rods will be withdrawn from their positions heneath said rods and when the openings 31 reach positions beneath said rods, the latter will drop through said openings into the openings 36 with the heads 25 on the ends of said rods resting on the intermediate portions 33 of the rails.

After the pull rod 26 has been drawn forwardly to its limit of movement, the pull upon said rod is released and the power stored in spring 21 will move said rod rearwardly into the machine and thus, the right hand one of rails 32 will be likewise moved rearwardly and the left hand one of said rails will move forwardly.

These movements bring the openings 39 and 40 into position where the ends of the rods will drop through said openings and said rods after projecting into the rear pair of slots 23. Prior to the placing of-the first one of the racks into the cabinet and which rack becomes the lowermost one of the series of racks that supports the articles within the cabinet, two of the rods 24 provided on their ends with heads 25 are positioned, one in the slots 23 beneath the rod 42 that forms a part of the lowermost rackand the other rod is positioned beneath the front portions of the parallel arms 44, with the ends of said rod projecting through a pair of the slots 23. Thus, the heads 43 on rod 42 normally rest on the heads 25 of the rear, one of the inserted rods 24.

When the vending machine is operated by pulling rod 26 forwardly, the rod 24 that is positioned beneath the rod 42 on the lower one of the racks and which rod 24 rests on a pair of the fingers 38 of the rails 32 will, as said rails 32 are actuated, drop through the slots 31 into the openings 36 and the heads 25 on the ends of said rodwill rest on the horizontally disposed portions 33 of the rails 32 simultaneously with the foregoing action, the inserted rod 24 that provides a support for the front poriton of rack 4| I will drop through the corresponding slots 36 and passing downward through the lower portions of the slots 23 will drop through the slots IS in partition l6 and will thus be delivered to the storage chamber l8. Thus as the supports for the lowermost article of merchandise drop away from the supported article, the latter will drop onto the partition Hi from whence it may be removed through opening below glazed panel |5.

As the lowermost article of merchandise is vended as just described, the entire series of rods carrying the article of merchandise will drop a distance equal to the height'of one article and thus, the rods that support the lowermost article will come to rest upon the fingers 38 on the rails 32 which were returned to their normal positions through the action of spring 21.

In the modified construction of the vending machine illustrated in Figs. 9 to 14 inclusive, the

vended article support instead of comprising a plurality of rods takes the form of a skeleton rack 4|, preferably composed of wire and including a rod 42 provided on its ends with heads 43 and which is practically the same as the rod 24. Extending from the rod 42 in the same direction are a plurality of arms 44 on the forward ends of which are located short tubes 45 that perform the functions of rollers. Obviously, this rack may be formed from pressed sheet metal When such rack is used for supporting articles or packages to be vended, it is desirable that said racks successively assume an inclined position just above the slotted partition within the bottom of the cabinet in order that the articles may readily discharge from the racks when the lowermost one has been released as a result of ma nipulation of the rod 26.

The racks 4| are introduced into the cabinet between the slats 22, each rack bearing a package of merchandise and the ends of the rod 42 openings 31 so that the heads on the ends of said rod rest on intermediate members 33 of the rails 32.

When the pull 32 will move longitudinally in opposite directions as heretofore described and the ends of the inserted rod 24 and the heads 25 thereon will drop through the openings 39 and 40 and said rods will pass downward through the corresponding slot in the partition l6 and from thence into the chamber |8 beneath said partition.

As the rails 32 return to their normal positions under the influence of the spring 21, the fingers 38 upon which the ends of the rear one of the rods 24 have just been positioned will move beneath the ends of rod 42 forming a part of the rack 4| so as to provide a support for said rod.

As the action just described takes place, the front one of the inserted rods 24 dropping downwardly from the front of the rack 4| the latter and the article supported thereby to swing downward into an inclined position as illustrated in Fig. 9, thus enabling the supported article to be readily removed through the opening in the front wall of the cabinet beneath glazed panel l5.

As the rack 4| swings downward into an inclined position as just described and illustrated in Fig 9, the end portions of the rod 42 resting upon a pair of the fingers 38 provides an axis for said'rack and on the subsequent actuation of the vending machine, the rod 42 on the rear end of the lowermost rack performs the functions of the inserted rod 25 that was used in connection with the lowermost one of the racks in the previous actuation of the machine and as'the rails 32 are moved lengthwise on the succeeding operation, the rod 42 at the rear end of he inclined rack will ride off the fingers 38 on which it is supported and on the succeeding longitudinal movement of the rails 32, the ends of said rod and the heads 43 thereon will drop through the openings 39 and 43.

As the lowermost one of the racks is thus released, it will by gravity move downward onto the top of the slotted partition I6 and will pass through the slots therein into chamber l8 and to enable this operation to take place, the partion rod 25 is released, the rails will permit 'tioni l6 must be. provided withcrossed slots for the accommodation of the therollers 45 (see Fig. 10). Y 'As the lowermost rack 4| moves downward from an. inclined to a horizontal position on the perforated partition, the rollers 45 will roll a short distance forwardly on said partition, thus eliminating any friction that otherwise might occur between the front portions of the arms arms 44, rod and 44 and the slotted partition.

.In Fig. 16 I have shown a modified construction .for spacing the inserted rods 24 a predetermined distance apart and which arrangement may be used with certain forms or packages of merchandise that are vended inthe machine.

lnlthis construction, channel-shaped members 46 are pivotedat .41 to a rod 24 near its ends and associated with the pivots of said members are springs 48 that normally tend to swing the members 46 downwardly against the rod. When the members are swung upwardly into vertical positions .as illustrated in Fig. 16, they serve to support a merchandise carrying rod 24 a substantial distance above the rod to which said members 46 are pivoted andsaid pivoted members are retained in their vertical positions by the weight of the supported rod and the merchandise positioned thereupon.

When the rod 24 to which the members 46 are pivoted is released to drop downward through the perforated partition, the members 46 will swing downward under the influence of the springs 48 so asto lie directly on top of the end portions of the rod to which they are pivoted and thus pass with said rod through the slots in partition l6 into the compartment l8.

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig.

.1 8, I have showna merchandise supporting rod 49- provided on one end with a head 50 that is adapted to engage on the upper edge of a sliding rail 5|, similar in construction and function to rail 32, and the opposite end of said rod carries a spherical head 52 that is supported by a fixed rail 53.

In this construction, the end of the rod 49 provided with the head 50 is released as the sliding rail 5| moves forward and then backward, as hereinbefore described, and when the end of the rod drops through the openings in the sliding rail 5|, the rod will swing downward into a substantially verticalposition with the head 52 functioning as a pivot and at the end of such swinging movement, the rod will drop while in a vertical position through an opening in the slotted partition that is arranged in the lower portion of the cabinet.

In Fig. 19 I have illustrated a modified construction wherein the slotted partition that is arranged in the lower portion of the cabinet above the chamber 18 into which the rods and racks drop, is inclined with its lowermost front portion projecting through the opening I! beneath the glazed panel l5 and which arrangement facilitates the discharge and removal of the vended merchandise from the cabinet.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a vending machine that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved vending machine, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I .claim as my invention:

1. In a vending machine, a housing including side walls, a plurality of vertically disposed spaced guide ways on said side walls, a plurality of independently operating merchandise supporting means, heads on said supporting means, which heads are arranged for sliding movement in said guide ways and. releasable means for supporting the lowermost merchandise supporting means, said releasable means including horizontally disposed sliding rails provided with openings and slots for the reception and passage of the heads on said merchandise supporting means.

2. A vending machine as set forth in claim 1 and manually operable means for effecting the release of said releasable means.

3. A vending machine as set forth in claim 1 and with a compartment in the lower portion of said housing for the reception of the supporting means after the supported merchandise is discharged therefrom.

4. In a vending machine, a housing having side walls in one of which is formed a dispensing opening, a plurality of vertically disposed spaced guide ways on said side walls, a plurality of independently operating merchandise supporting means having ends arranged for sliding movement in said guide ways, rails arranged for sliding movement in said cabinet and extending across the lower portions of said guide ways for supporting the lowermost one of said merchandise supporting means and said sliding rails being provided with openings which permit the ends of said supporting means to drop from said rails.

5. 7A vending machine as set forth in claim 4, with a compartment in the lower portion of said cabinet and a partition above said compartment, which partition is provided with slots to permit the downward passage of the merchandise supporting means through said partition.

6. In a vending machine, a housing including side walls, a plurality of vertically disposed spaced guide ways on said side walls, a plurality of independently operating merchandise supporting means having parts that are arranged for sliding movement in said guide ways, releasable means for supporting the lowermost merchandise supporting means, there being a merchandise discharge opening formed in the front wall of the cabinet and a slotted partition lo-. cated in the lower portion of the cabinet, with its front end disposed in the lower portion of the merchandise discharge opening.

ROY E. ELVERS. 

